Published: October 18, 2025, 23:05 EDT
Shohei Ohtani delivered a postseason performance for the ages, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. His three home runs and dominant pitching helped the Dodgers sweep the Brewers and advance to the World Series.
Historic Two-Way Performance
Ohtani’s combination of power at the plate and precision on the mound was unmatched. He struck out 10 batters while pitching into the seventh inning without allowing a run and became the first pitcher in major league history to hit a leadoff home run in a postseason game.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called the effort “probably the greatest postseason performance of all time,” highlighting Ohtani’s status as one of baseball’s premier players. “There’s a reason why he’s the greatest player on the planet,” Roberts said.
Three Home Runs That Shook the League
Ohtani’s historic night featured three towering homers. The first came in the top of the first inning off Brewers starter Jose Quintana. The second, a 469-foot drive, cleared a pavilion roof in right-center field. His third, a solo shot in the seventh inning, made him the 12th player in major league history to hit three home runs in a postseason game. Collectively, his homers traveled 1,342 feet.
“This time around it was my turn to be able to perform,” Ohtani said through his interpreter, reflecting on the momentous achievement.
Dominance on the Mound
In addition to his offensive heroics, Ohtani pitched a masterful game, allowing only two hits while recording double-digit strikeouts for the first time in his Dodgers postseason career. He retired 11 consecutive batters at one point and fanned two Brewers each in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings.
Teammate Freddie Freeman, last season’s World Series MVP, marveled at Ohtani’s performance. “Sometimes you’ve got to check yourself and touch him to make sure he’s not just made of steel,” Freeman said. “Absolutely incredible. Biggest stage, and he goes out and does something like that. It’ll probably be remembered as the Shohei Ohtani game.”
Dodgers Make History
The Dodgers became the first team to win back-to-back pennants since Philadelphia in 2009 and secured a fifth World Series appearance in nine seasons. They aim to become baseball’s first repeat champions in 25 years, a feat last accomplished by the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2000.
Los Angeles swept the NLCS for the first time in its history, dominating a Brewers team that led the major leagues with 97 wins during the regular season. The Dodgers’ four starters combined for 28 2/3 innings with only two earned runs allowed and 35 strikeouts.
“Before this season started, they said the Dodgers are ruining baseball,” Roberts told the crowd during postgame celebrations. “Let’s get four more wins and really ruin baseball!”
Milwaukee’s Postseason Struggle
The Brewers, despite setting a franchise record for wins, were eliminated by the Dodgers for the third time in seven playoff appearances. Milwaukee has yet to reach the World Series since 1982. Manager Pat Murphy praised Ohtani’s performance, calling it “an iconic, maybe the best individual performance ever in a postseason game.”
Brewers’ bats remained silent against Los Angeles’ pitching rotation, with Ohtani setting the tone from the start. Jackson Chourio led off the fourth inning with Milwaukee’s first hit, but Ohtani stranded him and maintained control until leaving the mound in the seventh.
Key Contributors and Closing Moments
The Dodgers added two runs in the first inning after Ohtani’s historic homer, with Mookie Betts and Will Smith both singling and scoring. Alex Vesia relieved Ohtani in the seventh and escaped a jam, allowing Ohtani to hit his third home run in the bottom half of the inning.
Reliever Blake Treinen allowed two baserunners in the eighth, but Brice Turang and Anthony Banda helped limit further damage. Rookie closer Roki Sasaki pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the victory.
Freeman celebrated the collective effort, noting the consistency and quality of the Dodgers’ play. “We’ve just been playing really good baseball for a while now, and the inevitable kind of happened today — Shohei. Oh my God. I’m still speechless,” he said.
Looking Ahead to the World Series
Following a 9-1 playoff run, the Dodgers will have a week off before the World Series begins next Friday, facing either the Seattle Mariners or Toronto Blue Jays. The Dodgers seek their first repeat championship since the Yankees’ late-1990s dynasty, aiming to cement their dominance in the modern era.
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Source: AP News – Shohei Ohtani hits 3 homers and strikes out 10 in Dodgers’ clinching 5-1 NLCS win over Brewers
